Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

40 Best Blogs for Special Needs Parents

No parent has to tend to a special needs child “” no matter his or her age “” alone. Even those whose lives involve serious or rare conditions will invariably find others with identical or similar experiences. In the digital age, blogs make it simple to connect with professionals and parents with plenty of advice, comfort, and resources to offer. Check out some of the following for detailed discussions about almost anything and everything related to raising an individual with special needs.

Assistive Technology

The Assistive Technology Blog:Virginia Commonwealth University located in Richmond, VA and the Virginia Department of Education join up to develop and discuss the latest in technologies designed to make life more accessible to special needs kids and adults alike.

Assistive Technology:School psychologist Dr. Brian S. Friedlander specializes in assistive technologies in an educational setting, but his commentary certainly applies to outside of it as well sometimes.

Assistive Technology Blog:Along with the blog, this absolutely essential resource also provides a podcast and product reviews to help parents, teachers, and other caretakers make the right choices for their kids.

AT Blog:It may be based out of California, but AT Blog’s frank postings about assistive technology developments and implementations still engages audiences from different backgrounds.

PATINS PROJECT Rapid Fire Blog:Both parents and teachers head here for advice about best practices to ensure equitable educational opportunities for special needs students.

Innovative Technology Treatment Solutions:Not all of the articles posted at Innovative Technology Treatment Solutions necessarily involve AT, but the blog features enough on the subject to warrant consideration.

General Special Needs

To The Max:Parents.com blogger Ellen Siedman writes mostly about special needs parenting (as one can probably imagine considering the site), but she frequently branches out into general issues as well.

Disability Studies, Temple U.:Follow this highly insightful blog for an academic dissection of special needs and intelligent solutions for properly addressing them.

About.com: Children with Special Needs:Ideal for both parents and teachers, Terry Mauro’s website and blog for About.com covers a wide range of topics pertinent to making sure special needs children receive proper care in safe spaces.

5 Minutes for Special Needs:Special needs advocacy, education, parenting, and more are the name of the game here, making it a particularly essential digital resource on the subject.

Friendship Circle Blog:Both the blog and the website that hosts it come packed with commentary and valuable resources for parents and teachers tending to special needs children and adults.

Different Doodles:Much of this blog’s content centers around education, but it includes enough general information about parenting, legalities, and more to warrant placement here.

DisabilityInfo.org:The New England INDEX focuses on people and programs making a difference in the special needs community, providing inspiration for those living in other states and countries. Regardless of your location “” it doesn’t matter if you live in Northern Oklahoma or right in the middle of Arkansas “” you can get something out of this blog.

The World of Special Olympics:Regardless of whether your child participates in Special Olympics events, savvy parents with an activism and advocacy bent would do well to follow what one of the leading organizations serving special needs individuals is doing for the community.

Jews and Special Needs:Michelle Wolf analyzes special education trends and topics from an obviously religious perspective, though readers of all faiths can still walk away having learned something!

Special Education and Homeschool

On Special Education:Nirvi Shah at Education Week analyzes the ins and outs of special education news and strategies for parents and teachers alike.

The Wrightslaw Way:Parents with special needs children in homeschooling and more traditional classroom environments alike should become intimately acquainted with the laws and advocates shaping their lives.

Special Needs Homeschooling:Moms and dads who wish to homeschool their special needs children for personal or practical reasons will find this blog an essential stop when perusing the Internet for valuable educational resources.

Teachers at Risk:Elona Hartjes, one of Canada’s most trusted advocates and educators of special needs and troubled children, blogs about best practices for keeping kids and their teachers safe from harm.

The Life That Chose Me:Read the experiences and perspectives of a special education professional whose sons also live with autism spectrum disorders; while not about homeschooling, such parents will certainly appreciate the recommended resources!

My Angels and Autism:Considered one of the best special needs homeschooling blogs around, this one focuses on how one mother educates within the parameters of the autism spectrum.

Special Education Law Blog:All parents and teachers who care for special needs students must stay on top of the legislation and movements that dictate how their educations are structured.

Special Education Strategies and More:Ideal for homeschooling parents as well as those wanting to know the viable strategies special education teachers are currently utilizing in the classroom.

Montessori and Special Needs:Explore how the Montessori method applies itself to different special needs situations, whether schooling a child within the system or at home.

Special Needs Parenting

Love That Max:Ellen Siedman returns with a more personal look at parenting her son with cerebral palsy, sharing both personal stories and broad resources for other moms and dads needing encouragement and advice.

Special Needs Blog:Families.com presents a detailed read delving into almost everything parents need to know about making sure their special needs kids live happy and healthy lives.

Everything and Nothing from Essex:One of the most popular blogs about parenting a special needs child focuses on an Essex-based family (like the title states) with a Down syndrome daughter; make sure to download the e-book as well!

Uncommon Sense:Follow one family’s ups and downs trying to figure out what causes daughter Maya’s developmental delays “” a simultaneously tragic and triumphant experience many special needs parents will indeed find relatable.

Hopeful Parents:This grassroots organization reaches out to special needs parents with the hope of providing both emotional support and resources about raising happy, healthy kids.

Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid:A book, a blog, a website, a movement “” special needs parents share their stories through Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid to peel back the frequently frustrating reality of their respective situations.

A Different Dream for My Child:No matter the diagnosis, parents seek solace with one another through this blog, which overflows with personal stories as well as resources for a wide range of needs.

eSpecially Ben:Writing allows these parents to channel their hopes and fears about raising a special needs child while simultaneously providing support and useful advice for others with similar lifestyles.

BLOOM:Presented by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, BLOOM offers up almost everything a special needs parent could want in an online resource.

Special Needs Jungle:Though based out of the UK, parents of special needs kids and adults worldwide will nevertheless find some common ground with the contributors here.